Press pad



June 6, 1967 E.'V EQKART 3,323,237

PRESS PAD Filed Aug. 27, 1963 INVENTOR. iw-L., am

BY 'pw/ am- United States Patent O 3,323,237 PRESS PAD Ervin Eckart, Niles, Ill., assignor to Resillo Press Pad Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 304,865 2 Claims. (Cl. 38-66) The present invention relates to ironing pads, and has special reference to such pads formed of metal materials such as steel wool and knitted metal mesh.

More particularly, this invention relates to metal press pads have one or more areas of relatively great resiliency which will retain at least most of their resiliency practically indefinitely.

Press pads heretofor used, including those made la-rgely of steel Wool, had a tendency to become compressed after substantial use and to lose their resiliency, especially in the button areas, these being the areas where protuberances, such as buttons on collars and cuffs, snaps, tabs and the like, are normally positioned during the ironing operation. Due to the protuberances, the areas of the press pad on which they are positioned during pressing become compressed and tend to be nonresilient. This results in frequent -breakage of buttons, and, moreover, tends to leave a damp, unironed area about the buttons in the article being pressed.

The pads of the pre-sent invention substantially eliminate these disadvantages. They are preferably formed with a core of steel wool and made entirely of metal materials. Through the use of a spring element beneath the button area, this area Will remain resilient for the life of the pad, thereby preventing it from losing its resiliency even after long periods of hard usage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a press pad for laundries, having a *button area which will retain its resiliency for the life of the pad.

Another object is to provide a press pad of the above type formed largely or entirely of metal materials.

A further object is to provide such a press pad which will be substantially unaifected by moisture and starch.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and claims when considered with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 `is a perspective view of -a press pad embodying the present invention, having portions broken away to show the interior construction;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the pad of FIG. 2 during one step in its manufacture.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present press pad. Such press pads are used for ironing articles in laundries. The pad illustrated is preferably made enti-rely of metal materials, and, because of the moisture and starch present in the articles to be ironed, at least some of the metals used adjacent the work surface are selected to resist corrosion. Examples of such metals are `stainless steel or Monel.

The construction of the pads may best be illustrated by describing the method of producing them. A bottom layer or base element 11 prefer-ably consists of a plurality of layers of non-corrosive metal mesh material such as knitted Monel or stainless steel mesh. This mesh is formed of fairly coarse strands or threads of metal such as .011. Layers of this mesh are placed in a shaped die in a press the size of the pad and there subjected to substantial pressure suiiicient to form a coherent, porous base portion. On part of the base layer 11 there is positioned a spring unit 12 located so that it will be beneath the button area of the completed pad or any other area which may receive ICC protuberant portions of the work. This area is normally at one end of the pad, although this is not necessarily the case.

The spring unit is of a type having a number of small individual coil springs extending upwardly from a base so that each coil spring may be compressed independently of the others. These individual springs may be interconnected provided only that they remain capable of relatively independent partial compression. The particular unit illustrated consists of 'a rigidV metal base 13 having xed to opposite ends thereof slightly arched ystrips of spring steel 14. Mounted on and having their bases secured to these strips 14, there are a number of independently compressible coil springs 15 arranged closely adjacent each other. Coils about 1/2 in diameter and about 1A in height have been found suitable. Springs having heights in the range of im" to 3%" will function satisfactorily. The various parts going to make up the spring unit 12 are preferably made of corrosion-resistant metal, although they might be made of nonmetallic material having appropriate characteristics.

A layer of metal material 16 of approximately the same thickness as the height of the spring element is also positioned on the portion or portions of the base 11 not covered by the `spring unit. This material is preferably given a definite size and shape before being placed on the Abase 11. Fine braided steel Wool 17, such as No. 3, wrapped around a piece of metal screen 1S and then compressed in a suitable die has proved very satisfactoryDue to the greater concentration of material at the sides, the pressing of the -braided material causes greater compaction of the steel wool there and serves: to provide a fixed shape for this element.

One or more layers .of metal mesh 19 such as knitted Monel or stainless steel mesh, which may be of the same type as used in the lower layer 11, and substantially the shape of the pad, are placed over the top of the spring unit and the shaped portion alongside the braided unit. This mesh :portion 19 i-s then stapled to the spring unit 12 and the braided portion 16, and serves to hold them in proper position during the construction of the pad as Well as during its useful life.

The upper portion of the pad overlying the metal mesh 19 is formed of steel wool. In the pad illustrated, a plurality of layers, such as four, .of kinky steel wool ribbon 21 are arranged, preferably longitudinally of the pad, on the knitted metal mesh 19. Over the kinky steel wool ribbons, tWo or more layers of stainless steel wool 22 are positioned, also preferably lengthwise of the pad. Satisfactory results have been secured with No. 3 steel wool. The pad elements above described are then placed in a suitable die of the size and shape of the completed pad and there subjected to pressure `in a press, the amount of which is dependent upon the -desired pad thickness. The compressed pad portions are then removed from the die, and two, three or more thicknesses of relatively iine noncorrosive knitted mesh 24, such as .007 stainless steel or Monel mesh, are wrapped entirely about them, forming a unitary construction. Following this, the knitted metal mesh about the sides of the pad is compressed into a thin multiple layer, and is then welded. In the preferred method of construction, the seams 23 between upper and lower cover layers 24 and 24a are formed along the bottom edge of the pad. A roller-type of resistance Weldin-g system is preferabiy employed. The completed seams may be formed along all four sides if cover layers 24 and 24a are separate pieces, or along only three sides if a single piece is folded over to form both layers 24 and 24a. These seams are then folded downwardly and under the pad by either a manual .or automatic operation.

Thereafter the pad is again placed in a die an-d subjected to further compression. This step gives the pad its iinal shape and forces the Welded portion 23 under the pad as shown in FIG. 2. Because of the nature of the materials, their resilience, the compression applied, and the ldisposition of the seam, this final compression in the die forces the seam 23 to migrate under the pad as clearly shown in FIG. 2. This produces a strong and attractive finished product.

The iinished pad thereafter is marked to indicate the super-resilient area. For this purpose, heat-resistant aluminum paint may be used to paint the top portion of the pad overlying the spring unit 12 as shown at 25.

It is also desired to provide means for fastening the press pad to the buck of a laundry pressing machine. One way of doing this is to connect a length of wire to a grommet. The free end of the Wire is then passed transversely through the pad adjacent one end thereof, and then looped back over the rear of the pad and secured to the grommet. One such wire arrangement is provided adjacent each end of the pad.

A pad of the type herein described will last a long period of time despite hard usage, and the entire pad including the button area will retain its resilience. All portions of the ypad resist deterioration due either to compression, moisture or the corrosive effect of the starch which may be in the articles being pressed. Moreover, the pad will retain its shape and may be readily attached to and removed from the buck of a pressing machine when desired.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereo, since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A press pad comprising a lower `compact layer of multiple thicknesses of metal mesh, a metal spring unit overlying a portion of said lower compact layer in a selected limited area of said pad, said spring unit including a plurality of closely spaced individually compressible coil springs, an adjacent shaped layer of braided steel wool covering substantially the remainder of said lower layer, a plurality of layers of metal mesh material overlying and secured to said springs and the adjacent braided steel wool, a plurality of layers of steel wool ribbon overlying the metal mesh, and an outer covering of metal mesh about said pad, said pad being compressed and provided with shaped compact edges.

2. A press pad comprising a lower compact layer of multiple thicknesses of substantially noncorrosive metal mesh, a metal spring unit overlying a portion of said lower compact layer in a selected limited area of said pad, said spring unit including a plurality of closely spaced individually compressible coil springs, an adjacent shaped compressed layer `of braided steel Wool covering substantially the remainder of said lower layer, a plurality of layers of metal mesh material overlying and secured to said springs and the adjacent braided steel wool, a plurality of layers of steel wool ribbon overlying the metal mesh, at least the upper layer of which is stainless steel wool, and an outer covering of corrosion-resistant metal mesh about said pad, said pad being compressed and provided with shaped compact edges of a width less than the thickness of said pad.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,503,147 7/1924 Zeidler 38-66 1,647,545 11/1927 Rocco 38-66 1,839,553 1/1932 Heighes 38-66 2,172,767 9/1939 Levine et al. 140-71 2,249,363 8/1941 Johnson 3 8--66 2,439,424 4/ 1948 Goodloe et al 14071 2,708,322 5/1955 Frances 38-66 2,981,016 4/ 1961 Seelenbinder 38-66 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, LOWELL A. LARSON,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. A PRESS PAD COMPRISING A LOWER COMPACT LAYER OF MULTIPLE THICKNESS OF METAL MESH, A METAL SPRING UNIT OVERLYING A PORTION OF SAID LOWER COMPACT LAYER IN A SELECTED LIMITED AREA OF SAID PAD, SAID SPRING UNIT INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CLOSELY SPACED INDIVIDUALLY COMPRESSIBLE COIL SPRINGS, AN ADJACENT SHAPED LAYER OF BRAIDED STEEL WOOL COVERING SUBSTANTIALLY THE REMAINDER OF SAID LOWER LAYER, A PLURALITY OF LAYERS OF METAL MESH MATERIAL OVERLYING AND SECURED TO SAID SPRINGS AND THE ADJACENT BRAIDED 